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Rovers keep Drogheda in sight after win

Tuesday 10th July 2007, 10:12 pm

Ger Rowe (right), opened the scoring at Tolka Park.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Shamrock Rovers are back up to third in the Premier Divison of the League of Ireland and within three points of leaders Drogheda United after a 2-0 over Waterford United at Tolka Park tonight. Ger Rowe and Tadhg Purcell both found the net in the closing ten minutes to give Rovers the win and deny Waterford a point which would have moved them up to tenth.

Waterford did well to contain Rovers in the early going with Dean Delaney saving what little was allowed through as a shot at goal.

Rovers - already without first choice keeper Barry Murphy - lost backup keeper Stephen O'Brien as he went off injured before the break.

Waterford almost hit the home side with a sucker punch ten minutes into the second half but David Breen's header rattled back off John McGuinness' crossbar.

The deadlock was finally broken on 81 minutes when David Cassidy cut the ball back from the endline and Rowe headed at goal to beat Delaney to give Rovers the lead.

The second goal came after a hotly contested refereeing decision which saw referee Declan Hanney change his original ruling and award Rovers a penalty after a foul on Cassidy. On the advice of his assistant, Hanney ruled that the offence had taken place just inside the penalty area.

Purcell stepped up and slotted home his tenth goal of the campaign to dash any lingering Waterford hopes of an equaliser.

Shamrock Rovers : S O'Brien (McGuinness 38), G O'Brien, Ferguson, Lawrence, Clarke, Martin (Cassidy 55), D McGill, Danny O'Connor, Tyrrell, Purcell, Myler (Rowe 63).
Waterford United : Delaney, Flynn, Browne, Breen, Hedderman, Kiely (Brosnan 57), Lordan, Scully, McCarthy, Bermingham, Sullivan.